Concrete bucket



May 30, YFl T CROWE CONCRETE BUCKET Filed'Aug. 23, `1943 2 sheets-sheet2 filiali fA/yc/S .72" Ceo WE,

INVENTOR.

Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES" PATEN T O F FICE 2,350,015coivcmrrnl BUCKET Francis T. Crowe', Shasta Dam, Calif.

Application August 23, 1943', Serial No. 499,615

3 Claims.

'My invention relates to `a` .concrete bucket and has particularreference to a concrete bucketr closure mechanism andV operator thereforwhich nds particular utility when employed Ion large receptacles used asa container for transporting freshly mixed concrete from a mixer to theplacing site. i

In my Patent No. 2,202,284, issued May '28, 1940, I have disclosedaconcrete bucket which is designed particularly for *use in transportinglarge quantities of relatively dry freshly mixed concrete from a mixingplant to the location in r'which the concrete is to be placed, thebucket referred to being designed particularly for use in theconstruction 4of dams Vand other monolithic structures. A

The bucket referred to linthe above mentioned patent employs a bottom'closure member which when opened permits the entire contents of thebucket to `be Vdischarged through the open bottom. It has been 'founddesirable with concrete buckets of this type to provide relativelyelaborate locking means for preventing inadvertent opening of thebucket, particularlyv in those applica tions where the load of thebucket must 'be transported as by means of cableways above areasy inwhich workmen `and laborers *may be Working. It has been'` foundnecessary to take every possible precaution to prevent opening `of thebueket during transportationin order to protect the lives of the workmenworking below.

Prior to the present invention lit vwas the practice to add to concretelbuckets, whether they are of the type disclosed in my prior'patent abovereferred to or of conventional types, auxiliary latching or lockingmechanisms which serve to a greater or lesser extent to 'insure againstinadvertent opening of the bucket. These mechanisms being additions tootherwise completeoperative structures imposed -an undue delay in theuse of the bucket particularly in the unlatching of the bucket and theopening of `the discharge gate. Furthermore, the auxiliary devices usedwere not entirely satisfactory because of the possibility of operatingfailures. f 'It is, therefore, an object' of my invention to provide aconcrete bucket of the-general `type disclosed in my prior PatentNo.2,202,284 which includes a novel lock arrangement for'positivelypreventing undesired opening of the bucket closure.

It is an additional object of vmyinvention to provide in a concretebucket of the character referred to in the precedingparagraph va three,-way locking arrangement requiring the simultanecus failure of threemechanisms inb'der to prevent an vaccidental opening ofthe dischargegate.

It is a still further object of my'jinventionfto provide in a concretebucket of the character previously referred to a novel closureconstruc-v tion permitting faster and easier operation than is possiblewith present bucketV `constru'c'ztions.l A v vIt is additionally anobject of my invention to provide a bucket ofv the character set forthin the preceding paragraphs which. includes lower closure members andpivoted operating members for opening and closing the closure membersand which further includes a novel toggle link arrangement for'controlling the operation 'of the closure operators. L

Other objects and advantages of Amy invention will "be apparent frornrastudy ofthe following specifications, read in connection with the acecompanying drawings, wherein: l, Fig. 1 is a sideelevational view o'fthe improved concrete bucket 4of my vinvention'showing the relativepositions occupied by theparts 'when the bucket closure is in the openedposition;

Fig. `2kis a very similar figure -tol'vF-ig. l but showing the relativedisposition o"f parts when the bucket closure is in its closed position;

Fig. `3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the lineIIlCi---III of Fig.f2 and shewingY the details of the closure operatorand `'control therefor.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsectional view illustrating additional detailsof v'construction of the bucket clcsuraFig. 4 showing the positionoccupied'by thelparts in the opened'position `of'the bucket; and l Fig.5 is a sectional view taken'substantially along the line V-V of Fig. 4andsho'wing additional details of construction of the closure operatorand the control mechanism therefor.

`Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated in Figs. l and 2 thepreferred embodiment of my invention as comprising a tubular bucket'bodyl shown as being rectangular in ycross section,

' the rectangular cross section being chosen principally for ease inmanufacture. The bucket body l is defined by right and left sidewalls`-2 and 3 and front and rear walls #and '5. `'l'lie bucket bodyv Iis preferably encircled at frequent locations along its length by hoopsor reinforcing binding rings 6 shown in thedrawingsas comprising angleirons. If desired the upper end of the bucket may be slightlyfunnel-shaped 'as shown at 1 to facilitate loading.

The lower end of the bucketbody I carries an openable closure comprisinga pair of gate members 8 and 9 each pivotally supported upon the bucketbody I by means of forwardly and rearwardly extending pivot shafts IIJand. II (see Fig. 4). The gate members 8 and 9 are movable from openpositions as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 to closed positions as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 2. 'I'he gate members 8 and 9 are controlled intheir movement between these two positions byA two pairs of closureoperators I2 and I3, one of the pairs such as the operator I 2 beingmounted on the front side 4 of the bucket and the other as I3 beingmounted on the rear side 5 of the bucket.

Each of the operators I2 and I3 comprises lal pair of arms I4 and I5pivotally mounted upon a. pivot shaft I6 which in turn extends throughthe bucket body I and is mounted thereon as by means of supportingblocks I I and I8. The outer ends of the shaft I 6 may be additionallysupported as by means of Z-cllps I9 and 20.

Between the arm I4 of the operator I`2 and the corresponding arm of theoperator I3 and similarly between the arm I5 of the operator I2 and thecorresponding arm of the operator I3 there are extended rollers ZI and22 which are so positioned as to bear against downwardly extendingreinforcing web members 23 and 24 formed on the under side of the gatemembers 8 and 9.

The location of the pivot shaft I6 and the distance between the pivotshaft I6 and the rollers 2I22 is so chosen with respect to the locationof the pivot shafts I0 and II for the gate members 8 and 9 that movementof the gate operators from an outward position such as shown in Fig. 1to an inward position such as shown in Fig. 2 will result in movement ofthe gate members 8 and 9 between opened and closed positions shown inFigs. 1 and 2, respectively.

The arms I4 and I5 of the gate operators I2 and I3 are normally urged totheir inward position as by means of tension springs 25 extended betweenthe arms I4 and I5. When the bucket is empty the spring 25 exerts asui'hcient force to move the arms I4 and I5 to the inward position asshown in Fig. 2. When in such position the rollers 2I-22 engageangularly disposed portions 26 and 21 of the gate members 8 and 9. Theangularity of the portions 26 and 21 is so chosen as to extendsubstantially horizontally when the gate members 8 and 9 are in theirclosed position. This disposition of the portions 26 and 21 is clearlyshown in Fig. 2.

When the parts are in this position the weight of a batch of concreteplaced within the bucket body I and resting upon the gate members 8 and9 Vis transmitted directly to the rollers 2| and 22 and the extensionsurfaces 26 and 21 are disposed at right angles to the thrust lineextended between the operator pivot shaft I6 and the rollers 2| and 22.Thus there is no tendency for the operators to move outwardly underinfluence of the load exerted thereon, whereas the spring 25continuously resists outward movement of the arms I4 and I5. Thisinsures that the closure will not be opened unless the arms I4 and I5are forcefully and positively moved apart.

To prevent any inadvertent movement of the arms I'4 and I5 to the openposition from any cause whatsoever, I provide an auxiliary latch foreach of the closure operators vI2 and I3, this latch comprising as isshown in Fig. 2 a keeper member 28 suitably secured as by welding to thearm I5 and a cooperating latch member 29 which is pivotally mounted asbymeans of a pin 30 upon the arm I5. These two parts are shown in theircooperating position in Fig. 2 from which it will be seen that unlessthe latch member 29 is pivoted in a clockwise direction it will beimpossible to move the arms I4 and I5 away from each other with theresult that inadvertent opening of the bucket is absolutely prevented.

To provide for manual movement of the arms I4 and I5 from the positionshown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1 when it is desired to empty thebucket, I` provide a control mechanism for the closure operators I2 andI3. This mechanism preferably includes a transverse shaft 3| carrying ahandwheel 32 by means of which the shaft 3l `is manually rotated. Oneither side of the bucket there are positioned pinions 33 each meshingwith spur gears 34 disposed on opposite sides of the bucket and mountedupon a shaft 35. Each of the gears 34 are drivably connected to the armsI4 and I5 as by means of links 36 and 31. These links are pivotallyattached at one end as by means of pins 38 and 39 to the arms I`4 and I5and to the other end as by means of pins 40 and 4I to points on the gear34 spaced from the center thereof.

With this arrangement of parts, it will be seen that as the gear 34 isrotated, the movement of the pins 40 and 42 will, through the agency ofthe links 36 and 31, result in movement of the gate operator arms I4 andI5. The links 36 and 31 are preferably curved as shown in Figs. 1 and 2and the location of the pivots 38-4l is so chosen that when the arms I4and I5 are in their nwardmost position corresponding to the lockedposition of the bucket closure, the lines joining the pins 38 and 4I)and 39 and 4I will lie. respectively, above and below the center of theshaft 35 so that any' couple exerted on the gear 34 by an attemptedoutward movement of the arms I4 and I5 will be ina direction counter tothat required to move the arms I4 and I5 apart, thus providing apositive locking of these arms against outward movement.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2

- a, counter-clockwise rotation of the gear 34 through an angle ofapproximately will result in moving the arms I4 and I5 to the positionshown in Fig. 1. During the rst part of this movement the gate operatorrollers 2| and 22 are moved off of the angularly disposed portions 26and 21 with the result that the weight of` the concrete resting on theclosure members 8 and 9 will thereafter be effective in moving the gatemembers 8 and 9 to their open position through forcing of the arms I4and I5 to their outer position. i

It will thus be seen that `when the bucket is in its closed position itis held against inadvertent opening by three mechanisms; i; e., by theperpendicular relationship between the surfaces 25 and 21 and the thrustline extended from the pivot I6 to the closures 2| and 22; by theauxiliary latch comprising members 28 and 29; and by the togglearrangement including the gear 34 and links 36 and 31. Such amechanismwill positively prevent any inadvertent opening of the bucketclosure.

Deliberate opening of the bucket is.' on the other hand, readilyaccomplished by simply releasing the auxiliary latch 28 and 29 androtating the handwheel 32 an amount suicient to carry the rollers 2| and22 beyond the inclined surfaces 26 and 21. Thereafter the weight of theconcrete resting upon the gate members 8 and 9 will automaticallycarry-the operation through to completion with the parts finallyarriving at the fully opened position which is shown in Fig. 1. As soonas all of the concrete is discharged from the bucket the spring 25becomes effective to automatically move the arms I4 and I5 back to thepositions shown in Fig. 2 with the result that the three-fold lockagainst inadvertent opening is automatically re-established.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the closure mechanism which Ihave just described for concrete buckets provides a maximum ofprotection against inadvertent opening of the bucket and at the sametime is so arranged as to permit a deliberate opening of the bucket tobe accomplished with a minimum of trouble and effort.

It will also be noted that by employing two separate gate members 8 and9 it is possible to dispose the pivots I0 and I I for these gate membersat a somewhat lower location than would be possible were a single gatemember employed, thus permitting a greater concrete holding capacity tobe built into a concrete bucket of s, given size. Also the use of twogate members provides for faster operation and faster opening of thebucket with a resultant saving in time when the bucket is placed inoperation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details ofconstruction shown or described herein, except as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

l. In a concrete bucket, the combination of: an open ended tubularbucket body; a pair of closure members mounted on opposite sides of saidbody for movement toward each other from open positions to closedpositions closing one end of said body; an over-center mechanismconnected between said members and operable in the closed positions ofsaid members to lock said members against movement toward said openpositions, said mechanism comprising a disk; means mounting said diskfor rotation on said body; a link connected to each of said closuremembers; and pivot means pivotally connecting one end of each of saidlinks to said disk, said pivot means being so positioned with respect toeach other that lines joining respective ends of each of said links willlie on one side of the center of said disk in the open position of saidclosure members and on the other side of the center of said disk in theclosed position of said closure members.

2. In a concrete bucket, the combination of:

a bucket body comprising a tubular body having ciated one of saidclosure members; pivotal mounting means for securing said operators tosaid bucket body, said pivotal mounting means being so disposed as todefine arcuate paths of movement for each of said roller means extendingbelow and closely adjacent to said mounting means for the associatedclosure member; an over-center mechanism interconnecting said operatorsand operable in the closed positions of said closure members to preventmovement of said operators toward positions permitting opening of saidclosure members, said over-center mechanism comprising a disk; meansmounting said disk on said bucket body for rotation; a pair of linkseach having one end pivotally attached to one of said gate operators;and pivot means pivotally attaching the other end of each of said linksto said disk, said pivot means being so located that the lines joiningthe respective ends of said links lie on one side of the center oi saiddisk when said closure members are in their open positions and on theother side of the center of said disk when said closure members are intheir closed positions.

3. In a concrete bucket, the combination of: a bucket body comprising atubular member having upwardly extending sides; a pair of rigidplate-like closure members for the lower open end of said bucket bodyfor retaining therein concrete placed within said bucket; meanspivotally mounting said closure members on said bucket body at oppositesides thereof for-movement between open and closed positions; a pair ofgate operators one for each of said closure members, each having rollermeans engaging the under side of the associated one of said closuremembers; a securing means pivotally mounting said operators on saidbucket body, said securing means being disposed in such position abovesaid mounting means for said closure members as to denne arcuate pathsof movement for said roller means extending from a point below saidmounting means to a point disposing said closure members in said closedpositions, whereby the weight of concrete resting on said closuremembers tends to move said members and said gate operators to said openpositions; extension means on each of said closure members engageable bythe associated roller means in the respective closed positions, saidextension means defining plane surfaces disposed at right angles tolines joining each of said roller means with the securing means for saidgate operators when said Operators and said closure members are in theirclosed position, whereby the weight of said concrete is balanced andautomatic movement of said operators toward said open position isprevented; an over-center mechanism interconnecting said gate operatorsfor normally preventing movement of said operators away from positionscorresponding to the closed positions of said closure members; and latchmeans for interconnecting said gate operators in their closed positions.

FRANCIS T. CROWE.

